Never Be The Same
by Kenna Monster
Summary: After the death of Wally, Dick leaves Young Justice. It's been three months with no contact so Batman sends the team out to find him.
1. Chapter 1

_"I need a break," Dick said, sighing. He looked over at the rest of the team. "Young Justice without Wally is...wrong. The three of us founded it, I can't stay without him."_

_"Are you sure?" Kaldur asked. "Where will you go?"_

_"Not sure," Dick replied. "Gotham. Or maybe travel, see the sights."_

_"You will always have a place here, on this team," Kaldur said, gripping Dick's shoulder tightly. _

_Dick nodded. "Thanks. I just...I can't picture myself fighting crime right now. My heart's not in it. Tell the others for me, okay? I know M'Gann will worry, but I promise I'll stay in touch."_

_"I will hold you to that," Kaldur said. Dick looked around once more before turning and heading for the zeta tube._

* * *

"Any word?" Connor asked, walking towards Kaldur who stood in front of the computer monitor, checking a news report from Gotham.

"No," Kaldur replied. He played a video clip of a masked man robbing a factory, easily defeating the police before disappearing.

"Who is that?" Connor asked.

"I am not sure," Kaldur replied. Suddenly the zeta tube fired up.

"Recognized, Batman," the computer intoned.

Batman walked over to Kaldur and Connor, glancing at the screen and the frozen image of the thief.

"Looks like you've already figured out your next assignment," he said.

"You want us to go to Gotham?" Connor asked.

"Dick hasn't contacted me in nearly two months. I assume he hasn't talked to any of you either. Which is why I want your team to go to Gotham and find him. If you stop this new thief along the way, good job," Batman explained.

"He will not make it easy to track him," Kaldur said.

"No, he won't," Batman said, a touch of pride in his voice. "But he's been gone too long. You know him best, you can talk some sense into him."

And with that Batman turned and walked back to the zeta tube, disappearing in a flash of golden light.

"I'll go get the others," Connor said.

Gotham was glowing with an eerie brilliance as Alpha squad stepped out of the zeta tube in a darkened alley. Connor and Aqualad had decided only senior members of young justice should go on the mission, much to everyone else's disagreement.

"We know Gotham better than any of you!" Tim had argued. Even Barbara, who was usually level headed, had shouted about how Dick was like a brother to her and she had every right to join the mission.

Finally, it took Connor slamming his fist down on the table in order to get everyone to shut up.

"Senior members only. Everyone else stays here on guard duty. Black Canary and Batman will be coming and going so no parties," Connor ordered. There were a few grumbles and twin glares from Barbara and Tim, but slowly everyone walked out of the room leaving Artemis, M'Gann, Kaldur, Zatanna and Connor.

"Alright, let's go," Kaldur said, leading the way to the tube.

"Where should we start?" Artemis asked. For the sake of the mission she had left her Tigress outfit at the base, instead donning her usual green.

"Batman mentioned stopping a high level thief might help us find Nightwing," Kaldur replied, glancing around. "I suggest we inspect the first crime scene."

M'Gann nodded, focusing her mind on their surroundings. "Robbery in progress, First National Bank of Gotham. Only a few blocks from here."

"Let's see who this guy is," Connor said, leading the way out of the alley.

As they neared the bank they spotted a dark figure race out of the building and towards the approaching cop cars. Suddenly the street erupted in smoke. The police's brakes squealed as they crashed into each other. Amid the confusion the thief snuck past without being noticed, except by the team.

"Super boy and Miss Martian don't let him escape," Kaldur ordered. "Zatanna and Artemis, assist the police."

Connor ran after the thief, M'Gann flying above him. Kaldur worked on putting out the fire that had sparked from the crash while Zatanna and Artemis helped get the police to safety and clear the street.

The thief had almost reached the corner of the street when Connor jumped, landing right in front of him. But rather than stop the thief simply swerved and began running back towards the bank. Artemis fired arrows at him, trying to slow him as Kaldur used his whips to blast a tidal wave at the thief, both of which he effectively avoided. He threw a small electronic device at Kaldur that exploded and sent the Atlantean stumbling backwards, the electronic pulse shocking him.

"Stop!" M'Gann yelled, firing telekinetic blasts at him. The thief turned, throwing a dart at her. It hit her leg and she gasped as she fell, powerless. Connor raced forward, catching her before she hit the ground.

"M'Gann!" Artemis screamed. She grabbed her last arrow and fired, knowing it was steel tipped. She watched as it flew straight and true, embedding itself into the thief's chest right below the collarbone.

He grunted, stumbling forward a step and looking down at the arrow in shock. Artemis watched as he fell to his knees, suddenly feeling guilty for the measures she had taken to subdue him.

"Is everyone alright?" Kaldur asked, walking over to Artemis.

"I think so," M'Gann replied shakily.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Connor demanded, helping M'Gann to her feet.

"I am not sure," Kaldur replied, watching as Artemis approached the thief. He was still conscious, slumped against a car. She knelt down in front of him.

"I had no choice," she said, feeling the urge to apologize. The thief looked up at her, slowly raising his arm and pushing back his mask.

"No!" Artemis gasped, looking into the face of Dick Grayson.

* * *

"We need to stop the bleeding!"

"Grab those bandages!"

"Dick, can you hear me?"

He fought against the pain, blinking up at Kaldur, Artemis, Connor, Zatanna and M'Gann who were huddled around him. Zatanna handed Connor a bundle of bandages and he pressed them against the wound on Dick's chest. White hot pain burned through his shoulder and down into his chest, his back arching off the table as his body protested the sudden pain. But there were hands holding him down and someone was calling his name and he could feel himself slipping away...

* * *

The next time Dick awoke he allowed himself a few moments to let the pain wash over him, hitting him in waves of agony. His chest ached, each breath like shards of glass ripping through his lungs. When he tried to move his arm the pain in his shoulder flared, causing him to involuntarily gasp.

"Dick?" Artemis asked as she and Kaldur walked over. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot," Dick replied, glancing around. He realized with a jolt they were in his old base, the one he'd used when he first came to the city. It was a League bunker after all, though dilapidated and rundown, which made sense as to how the others found it.

"What were you doing at the bank?" Kaldur asked, looking down at his old teammate. None of the scenarios they'd discussed made sense. If he was there to apprehend the thief or help them he wouldn't have ran or put up such a fight when confronted.

"I was there to rob it," Dick replied, grimacing as he slowly sat up. He hugged his arm close to his body, trying to minimize the movement so as not to jostle the wound.

"What?" Connor demanded, walking over with Zatanna and M'Gann.

Dick closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing as the room swayed around him.

"We should get you to headquarters, have a doctor look at your shoulder," Artemis suggested, voice colored with guilt. Whatever his faults, she still felt horrible for shooting Dick.

"No," he replied, eyes still closed. "No League."

"I still don't understand what you were doing at the bank, or why you fought against us," Kaldur said.

Dick opened his eyes, looking up at him. "Because I knew if you caught me that we'd be in this very situation. All of you standing around talking about taking me to the League, and not listening to what I'm saying."

"What are you saying?" Zatanna asked. "That you're the thief Batman sent us here to capture?"

"Figures he would send a team," Dick grumbled, looking away.

"What the hell is going on?" Connor asked.

"It's complicated," Dick replied, standing up. He used the table for support as he took a few unsteady steps, cursing himself for his weakness.

"Batman isn't going to stop sending people to look for you," Artemis said.

Dick froze, slowly turning to look at her. When he spoke, his voice was flat and low. "Like how he and the League swore they'd never stop looking for Wally?"

Everyone was stunned. It had been a while since someone had mentioned Wally, and even longer since the League stopped looking for him.

"That's when the robberies began," Kaldur stated. Dick looked at him, nodding.

"You started stealing when the League gave up on Wally," M'Gann added.

"We aren't expendable. I had to show them that," Dick said.

"By stealing?" Connor asked.

"What have you taken? Batman said a connection between the items was unclear," Zatanna said.

"I'm building a portal. A speed portal," Dick replied.

"A what?" Artemis asked.

"Wally didn't die. He was sucked into the speed force, an extra-dimensional space that speedsters draw their power from. I'm just trying to recreate that window so I can go rescue him," Dick replied. The team stared at him, too shocked to speak.

"An inter-dimensional portal isn't easy to build, or control," Zatanna finally said, breaking the silence.

"I don't care what the risk is, I have to help him. I can't give up now that I'm so close," Dick said.

Kaldur looked at Dick. "You knew we would attempt to capture you. Perhaps you hoped we would help you."

Dick nodded. "I knew Batman would send you five."

"And that we'd use full force, not knowing it was you," Artemis added.

"Did you want us to kill you?" Zatanna asked. It was Dick's turn to be silent, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes.

Artemis walked over, standing in front of him. When he still wouldn't look at her she took his chin and lifted it, looking into those sad dark brown eyes. "We'll help you any way we can, but you have to be honest."

Dick closed his eyes. His shoulder throbbed and he felt weak, but he knew he needed his friends if he was ever going to save Wally.

"I didn't want you to kill me," he finally said. Artemis left go of his chin, waiting for more. "I was just...tired. Tired of fighting and running and stealing. I knew I had to but that didn't make it any easier."

"Do you need more parts for the portal?" M'Gann asked.

Dick opened his eyes, looking around at them. "Last night was the last piece."

"How do we know this is gonna work?" Zatanna asked.

"We don't," Dick replied, leading the way over to the far wall where he had constructed much of the portal. "But I'm not giving up on Wally. I need your help saving him." The room was silent.

"What do we need to do?" Kaldur asked.

The last piece turned out to be an electrical generator a local company had recently designed. They were next to the bank, and Dick had used that assumed robbery as a diversion to break into the other building.

"I'll stay here, use my magic to keep the portal open," Zatanna said as Dick turned the generator on and they watched the wall dissolve into a swirling mass of blue electricity. "But you won't have long. I can't guarantee I can keep it open forever."

"Just give us as long as you can," Connor said.

"You should stay here," Artemis suggested, watching Dick.

"I have to help," he argued, walking forward until he was standing directly in front of the portal. He glanced over his shoulder at Zatanna, who nodded.

"Let's go," he said, walking forward. Rather than running into the wall, he simply passed through it.

And into a forest of tall, swaying trees. A light breeze blew, ruffling his hair. He turned, watching as the others came through the portal until all five of them were standing together.

"Where now?" Connor asked. M'Gann lifted up into the air, looking around as she flew above the treetops.

_"I think I see something ahead," _she said mentally, voice echoing inside her teammate's heads.

Kaldur led the way through the trees, Artemis staying near Dick. She didn't like how pale he was, but knew he was too stubborn to ever admit he was hurt. They suddenly found themselves in a clearing. Sitting in the middle was Wally.

Dick stumbled forward, so overjoyed and shocked to finally see his friend. He'd been searching for months and it had all paid off.

"Wally?" Artemis asked, too stunned to move. He looked the same, red hair sticking out from his head, bright green eyes, huge grin.

"Guys! I knew you'd figure it out!" Wally exclaimed, hurrying over to them. He hugged Artemis, kissing her fiercely. M'Gann, Connor and Kaldur stood there smiling as Wally greeted each of his friends with a hug.

Then he looked at Dick. The two best friends faced each other, Wally grinning like a fool while Dick simply stared at him. All of his hard work, all the stealing and fighting, had finally paid off.

"Long time no see," Wally said, walking forward and pulling Dick into a hug. He winced, hissing in pain when Wally bumped his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Wally asked, taking a step back and watching Dick with concern.

"I'm fine," he replied, ignoring the stabbing pain and focusing on the joy of finding his best friend.

"We should get going," Connor suggested. Their group began walking back to the portal, everyone all smiles and laughter. When they reached the portal Wally whistled appreciatively.

"How long did it take you guys to make that?" He asked.

"Dick's been working on it for a few months," Artemis replied, turning to look back at Dick who was straggling behind the group. Connor noticed and fell back, looping Dick's arm around his shoulder and ignoring his feeble argument against needing help.

"How long have I been here?" Wally asked, unsure. The speed force was a strange, mysterious place where time was irrelevant.

"Almost a year," Artemis admitted sadly.

"A year?!" Wally said, shocked.

"Everyone ready?" Kaldur asked, looking at his team. Everyone nodded and they walked back through the portal, Connor and Dick coming last.

"Wally!" Zatanna shouted, hurrying to hug her long lost friend. The portal closed with a snap, the wall returning to its normal state.

"You should sit down, let M'Gann look at your shoulder," Connor said as he helped Dick over to the bed. M'Gann and the others followed over. Dick tried to focus on anything else as M'Gann helped him out of his shirt and peeled back the bandages, most of them soaked through with blood.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Wally demanded.

"Didn't want you to worry," Dick replied.

"You need a doctor," M'Gann said, inspecting the wound. "This is serious."

"No doctors," Dick argued.

"You are suffering from blood loss," Kaldur said.

Dick looked at Wally, eyes large and scared. "Please, don't take me to the hospital."

Wally stepped forward, placing a hand on Dick's uninjured shoulder. He looked at Connor, Kaldur and M'Gann, motioning with his head for them to step back.

"No hospital," Wally promised, squeezing Dick's shoulder before joining the others in the far corner, out of Dick's earshot.

"He's terrified of hospitals," Wally explained. "Has been ever since his parents died when he was a kid. Taking him to one would do more harm than good."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Connor asked.

"Take him back to the base, call Batman. He's been the one to patch Dick up all these years, he'll know what to do," Wally replied.

"Alright, we should get going," M'Gann said. They walked back over to Dick, who had lain down and looked even worse than moments before.

"Lets get you out of here," Wally said, helping him sit up. Dick blinked slowly at him, too weak to protest.

"I've got him," Connor said, stepping forward and taking Dick's arm. He half carried, half dragged Dick out to the zeta tube, everyone else following.

As the tube transported them to the base Artemis slipped her hand inside Wally's, squeezing gently.

"Welcome home."


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N : I love Young Justice and was super bummed when they didn't continue it after season 2] **

"You'd think everyone would stop wanting to poke and prod me and focus on someone else," Wally grumbled as he walked into the kitchen, Artemis following him.

"Be patient," she said, hopping up onto the counter as Wally rifled through the fridge. "They're just a little freaked out to see you back. You were gone for a year, after all."

"Don't remind me," he said, sticking some leftovers into the microwave and turning to look at her. "How am I supposed to get my life back on track after missing a year?"

Artemis slid back to the floor, closing the space between her and her boyfriend in two steps. She wrapped her arms around his waist, looking deep into his green eyes that she knew better than her own. "Give it time. You've been back a day. We'll figure everything out."

Wally closed his eyes, touching his forehead to hers. "God, I love you."

The microwave beeped and they broke apart. Artemis leaned against the counter as Wally scarfed down his food.

"How is he?" Artemis asked after a few moments.

Wally paused between mouthfuls. "Still being guarded. No word from the League yet."

"I can't believe this," She said angrily. "He saved you! And how does the League repay him? Lock him in med bay like he's a criminal."

Wally sighed. "Dick stole a lot of stuff to build that portal. He put fifteen police officers in the hospital, and nearly got himself killed! The League's just trying to decide if made the best decisions."

"I know," Artemis said dejectedly. "But you'd think they'd just be grateful and move on. I am."

Wally smiled at her. "Don't worry. Saving a fellow teammate usually trumps betrayal. They'll rule in his favor and Dick will be back before you know it."

At that moment Connor ran into the room. "The League's voted."

Artemis and Wally raced after him into the control room, joining the rest of their teammates who were gathered in front of the large monitor. Dick was sitting in a chair in the very front guarded by Black Canary and Red Tornado. The air flickered then Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, the Flash and Martian Manhunter were broadcast onto the holographic screen. Artemis grabbed Wally's hand.

"After a long consideration of the pros and cons of Nightwing's actions to rescue Kid Flash, we've decided his methods, though wrong, led to the best possible outcome," Superman said.

"That doesn't mean you're off the hook," Batman added, watching his oldest protege who still wouldn't look at the screen. "Key members of the League will be joining Black Canary and Red Tornado at your base in order to monitor you more closely."

Dick shook his head, standing up and walking away. The team watched him go, everyone too shocked to stop him.

"I'll be there soon," Batman said before the screen went blank.

Artemis, Connor, Kaldur, M'Gann, Wally and Zatanna went after Dick, going to his favorite hide out.

The wind blew fiercely on the roof of Mount Justice, the view of the surrounding bay breathtaking from up that high. Wally hugged his jacket tighter around him and looked around, spotting Dick sitting on the edge.

"Well that was interesting," he said as he crouched next to his friend.

"At least they ruled in your favor," Zatanna said.

Dick laughed, a harsh and bitter sound that was totally unlike him. "My favor? They don't trust me, that's obvious with the whole babysitter situation. Batman will probably pull me off missions."

"They just want to be sure you are not a traitor," Kaldur said.

Dick looked up at him, eyes bright. "I'm not a traitor. I sacrificed three months of my life, went up against some of the worst villains I've ever faced to save my best friend and this is how they repay me?"

Wally put his hand on Dick's shoulder, surprised to feel him shaking. "And I'll always owe you for that, but just give them time. They'll come around eventually."

"What villains?" Artemis asked, curious. None of them had been allowed to go to his hearing before the League so they didn't know what he'd spent the last three months doing.

"It doesn't matter," Dick replied, closing his eyes. His shoulder throbbed in time with his pulse and his head felt stuffed, his thoughts jumbled. He could hear the others talking but ignored them, focusing on the sound of the surf and the smells of the ocean. He had to enjoy the moment for as long as it would last.

"We should get you back inside," Connor suggested, able to detect Dick's thready pulse with his heightened senses. He reached out his hand to help Dick to his feet when there was a sudden explosion and he was thrown backwards.

Connor shook his head, trying to clear it. He was bleeding from a cut on his forehead, and he wiped the blood out of his eye as he sat up, looking around. His teammates were slowly getting to their feet, looking shaken but relatively unharmed.

"Tell your masters I'm simply collecting a debt," a tall man said as he loomed above Dick, easily picking the unconscious teen up and slinging him over his shoulder. He began walking towards a hovercraft that floated near the roofs edge.

"Wait!" Connor yelled, scrambling to his feet. The man sighed as he boarded the hovercraft, as if explaining his actions to a group of teenagers was beneath him. Connor prepared to launch himself after the mysterious attacker when the man tossed a bright green rock onto the roof at Connor's feet.

A sudden wave of dizziness hit Connor and he stumbled back, falling to the ground. M'Gann rushed to his side, kicking the stone off the edge of the roof. The dizziness vanished, but the hovercraft was already gone.

"Who was that?!" Wally asked.

"Deathstroke," Kaldur replied.

"What do we do?" Zatanna asked.

"Go get the others," Artemis replied.

* * *

Dick felt like he was floating, unable to tell if he was awake or asleep. His body felt weightless and for the first time in his life there was no worries, no pain, no need to please Bruce. He could just drift there forever.

Then he thought of Wally and Artemis and Kaldur and Connor and Zatanna and M'Gann and suddenly he wanted his friends. He wanted them to forgive him for his actions and say what he had done in the past didn't matter since he brought Wally home.

Dick needed to see them, to hear them say his name and calm his racing heart. His momentary paradise had turned into a prison.

There was a stabbing pain in his arm, then Dick was yanked back into awareness. He blinked, the world around him hazy and out of focus. A tall man loomed in front of him, a knife in his hand.

"Slade," Dick whispered.

"That little presentation was quite fun, wouldn't you say?" Slade asked, wiping blood off the knife onto Dick's pants. "Neural transmitter attached to your spinal cord that can control your actions, leaving you as nothing more than a helpless puppet."

"What?" Dick asked. He reached behind him, fumbling at the back of his neck. His fingers skated over a tiny metal bump that was attached his skin and his stomach dropped.

"At the time being pain is the only thing that can override the transmitters," Slade explained as he wrapped Dick's arm with a bandage, covering the cut that ran from his mid forearm to wrist. "So let's hope that pain threshold is as high as you claim."

Dick weakly looked up at him, too shocked to form words. Bruce had trained him for situations exactly like this, but for the first time in his life he was speechless. If Slade noticed he didn't say anything, walking over to a computer and typing in a few commands. Dick tried to say something, but as he looked at Slade he felt himself slipping away into that nothingness again. He wasn't sure if he screamed or not.

* * *

"They found him!" Tim yelled. Wally super sped into the communications room, nearly colliding with the young Robin. When the team leaders had told their younger teammates what had happened on the roof everyone had immediately agreed to do whatever they could to help find Dick. They had quickly split into teams and went off searching. Artemis had taken Barbara, Gar and Karen to Gotham; Kaldur took Bart, Jaime and Cassie to Star City; Zatanna went with Mal, La'Gaan and Virgil to Bludhaven; M'Gann, Connor and Raquel patrolled Happy Harbor while Wally and Tim ran interference from their base.

"Where?" Wally demanded.

"Gotham," Tim replied, pointing at one of the screens. It showed a grainy image of Barbara and Artemis supporting Dick between them. Within seconds they walked out of the zeta tube, Gar and Karen following on their heels.

"He's hurt," Artemis said, briefly glancing at Wally before hurrying down the hall to the med bay.

Wally turned to Tim. "Tell the others, then call the League."

Artemis and Barbara had barely laid Dick on a bed when Wally zoomed into the room, staring at his best friend. Dick was unconscious, one arm wrapped in a bandage. Blood stained his shoulder where Artemis had shot him, and his face was a mass of discolored bruises ranging in color from deep blue and black to purple and yellow.

"Wally," Artemis said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room as Karen and Barabara began hooking Dick up to different machines.

"Somethings wrong," she said quietly.

"What?" Wally asked.

"Something's wrong with Dick," Artemis repeated. "When we found him he didn't say a word, he just stood there. His eyes were...blank. Like he wasn't even processing what was going on around him. Then he collapsed and we brought him back here. But I swear, this isn't right. I can feel it."

"He was probably just in shock," Wally said, trying to soothe her worries. "We should just be glad you found him."

"But what if that was Deathstroke's plan all along?" She asked. There was a shriek, then the sound of breaking glass as the door behind them smashed into the opposite wall. They whirled around to find Dick standing in the doorway, Gar, Karen and Barbara lying unconscious on the floor behind him.

And Wally understood what Artemis had meant about Dick's eyes. They were hollow, as if all the life had been leached out of them.

"Dick?" Artemis asked. He didn't even acknowledge her, simply slipped into a fighting stance and raised his fists toward them.

"Buddy, can you hear me?" Wally asked. Dick lunged forward faster than Wally expected, landing a few punches before the speedster backed up. Artemis dodged a volley of hits as she ran after Wally, the two crashing through the door into the training room.

"What's going on?" Wally asked as he and Artemis tried to avoid Dick's attacks. He was fast and brutal, not holding back.

"I think someone's controlling him, I just don't know how," Artemis replied. She turned, not ducking fast enough as Dick hit her in the jaw with a sucker punch that sent her skidding across the floor. She didn't get back up.

"I'm getting real tired of this," Wally said as he gritted his teeth, facing his best friend.

"Wally?" Tim asked as he walked in the room, Kaldur, Zatanna and their teams following him. "What's going on?"

"Someone's controlling him!" Wally shouted as Dick pulled out hidden batarangs and threw them. Everyone scattered, suddenly fighting against one of their own. Normally it wouldn't even be a fight, but Dick was a senior member that had been trained by one of the first members of the League. He also knew each and every teammate's weakness, which he exploited with ease.

Within moments Dick was walking towards the zeta tube, blank eyes scanning the room as he typed in a few commands into the monitor.

"Dick?" M'Gann asked as she walked into the room with Connor.

"What are you doing?" Connor demanded as a count down appeared on the screen.

"Giving the League an hour to come rescue their protoges before I blow this place up," Dick replied without looking at them.

"Is this a joke?" Connor asked. Dick looked at him.

"No one's laughing."

"Where are the others?" M'Gann asked, unable to reach them telepathically.

"Unconscious in the training room. Oh, and Barbara, Karen and Gar are in the med bay," Dick replied.

Connor looked at M'Gann. _What do we do? _

She stayed focused on Dick as she replied _go check on the others, I'll notify the League._

Connor backed away then ran to the training room while M'Gann stayed with Dick, watching as he typed a few other things into the computer.

"Are you looking for something? Maybe I could help," she suggested as she contacted her uncle, quickly explaining the situation. He promised he and the other leaders would be there soon.

"No," he said, looking at her. "You've probably just contacted the League, moving the plan along smoothly."

"What plan?" M'Gann asked. She tried to reach out to Dick telepathically, hitting a barrier. The invisible wall surrounding his mind was strong, but she was stubborn. Focusing all her attention, she pressed and clawed and tore at the barrier until she found a weak spot and broke through.

_In the swirling gray landscape around her, she spotted Dick curled up on the ground a few feet away, his head in his hands and eyes squeezed shut. _

_"Dick!" M'Gann said, overjoyed to have found her real friend. But if Dick heard her, he didn't react, simply curling tighter in on himself._

_"What is this place?" She asked as she knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He was shaking. _

_"Neural...transmitter..." Dick whispered. _

_Then everything clicked into place. He was being remotely controlled! M'Gann stood up, kneeling behind Dick. She pulled the collar of his shirt down, revealing a tiny silver box clamped onto the back of his neck. She concentrated, her eyes glowing a brilliant green as she examined the transmitter._

_"Hold still," she said, gritting her teeth as she reached out and grabbed the box, pulling. Dick gasped as the transmitter slowly peeled off his skin, coming free at last. M'Gann held it in her hand, amazed that such a small device could cause so many problems. _

_Dick was shaking even worse. M'Gann grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet and looping her arm around his waist for support. _

_"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here," she said as they began walking through the gray smoke. _

And suddenly they were standing in the communications room, the transmitter still gripped tightly in M'Gann's hand.

Dick looked at her, his face relieved. Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed.


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N : I know Mount Justice was destroyed by Aqualad when he was undercover working for Manta, but this is my version!]**

When Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Atom, Black Lightning, Flash and Icon came through the zeta tube, the sight that met their eyes stopped them in their tracks. Black Canary and Red Tornado were helping their young charges, some of whom were still unconscious.

"What happened?" Superman demanded as Red Tornado helped Jaime to his feet.

"We returned from a patrol to find all of them knocked out in the training room," Canary replied, helping guide a shaky Raquel to a nearby chair. Batman noticed the older members of the team weren't present.

"Where are they?" He asked.

"Med bay," Red Tornado answered. Batman led Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Aquaman down the hall to the med bay while the other League members stayed with their proteges.

Batman glanced at the shattered door propped against the far wall before walking through the doorway, surprised to find Aqualad, Superboy, Artemis, Kid Flash and Miss Martian gathered around a bed in the far corner. When they saw their mentors approaching they moved away, revealing an unconscious Nightwing lying on his side on the bed.

He looked horrible. Someone had cut away his shirt, his shoulder heavily bandaged. One arm was wrapped from elbow to wrist, and his face looked like it had been someone's punching bag. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose and there was an IV attached to his uninjured arm.

"Explain," Batman ordered.

"Deathstroke released him as a trap," Kaldur said. "When one of our teams found him in Gotham he came willingly, but once he arrived it became clear that Deathstroke was remotely controlling him."

"Neural transmitter attached to the top of his spine," Artemis added.

"When I took it off I didn't know it would hurt him," M'Gann apologized, holding out the transmitter to Batman. He took it wordlessly, flipping it over and over in his hand as he focused on controlling his rage.

"He had a seizure," Connor said. "M'Gann and I brought him in here and by that time most of the others were waking up."

Superman walked around the bed, examining the spot were the transmitter had been attached to Dick's back.

"We also think he has blood poisoning," Wally added, peeling away the bandage on Dick's chest to reveal the wound. It was clearly infected, dark red with purple lines extending down his arm and towards his chest.

"We can't move him in his condition," Aquaman said.

"We have to," Wonder Woman said as she came into the room. "He activated a bomb."

* * *

Wally couldn't take his eyes off his best friend lying there so still. Dick was not the type of person to sit still for longer than a few seconds. He was always the first one leaping into a fight, usually with some witty comeback for whoever they were facing.

"There you are," Artemis said as she came into the room. She leaned against him, the two of them silently watching Dick for any sign of life besides the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"How are the others?" Wally asked.

"Everyone's already settled," she replied. "Connor and Kaldur should be here soon, then we can move him."

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Wally asked, turning to look at her. "He's got toxic shock syndrome, maybe staying here at the Watchtower is his best option of getting better."

Artemis sighed, holding Wally's face between her hands. He closed his eyes and she kissed his forehead. "He'd want to be with the team. And when he wakes up, you're the first person he's gonna want to see."

"Okay," Wally said. The door opened and they broke apart, looking at Connor and Kaldur.

"Ready?" Kaldur asked. Wally nodded. They placed the portable heart monitor at the foot of the bed so Dick would still be attached, hooking the IV bag to the pole. Artemis fidgeted with the pillows keeping him on his side, tugging the blanket closer to his chin. Finally they were good to go.

They wheeled the bed down the hall, Connor pushing. Random members of the League watched as they passed, their small parade drawing attention. Wally glanced back at Dick, making sure he was doing alright. The heart monitor showed no change, and he tried to remind himself that that was good.

When they entered the main room of the Watchtower they were surprised to find even more members gathered there, everyone watching them.

Green Arrow, Superman, Aquaman and Wonder Woman were waiting near the zeta tube.

"May Zues guard you," Wonder Woman said, laying two fingers on Dick's forehead.

"Keep us updated," Superman said, looking at Connor. He nodded.

"Where's Batman?" Wally asked.

Flash sighed. "Bats just needs some space right now. He went back to Gotham, but if anything changes we'll notify him."

"Be safe," Aquaman said, putting his hand on Kaldur's shoulder.

"We will be in touch," Kaldur said.

Artemis hugged Green Arrow before looking at her teammates. "We should go," she said, taking Wally's hand and walking through the zeta tube.

They stepped out into the large main room of their new base, an underground bunker located near Seattle, Washington. It had been unused for years, but after everything that happened at Mount Justice it seemed like the perfect time to start over.

* * *

_"We can't disarm it," Wonder Woman said. Everyone sprang into action. Batman began unhooking Dick from the IV and tugged the oxygen mask off his face, easily picking him up in his arms and leading the way back to the zeta tube. The mentors had already begun taking their protoges through the transporter to the Watchtower, Kaldur and Aquaman going last in order to make sure everyone got out safely. As Wally and Artemis followed Batman to the med bay they saw numerous screens show Mount Justice explode._

_"There goes our home," Wally mumbled. Artemis gripped his hand tightly as they waited in the hall for any news. Connor, M'Gann, Kaldur and Zatanna joined them, the six of them keeping vigil. _

_It was hours before Batman let them see Dick. _

_By that time everyone was assigned a new room, the younger members sharing to help with lack of space. Then they were called into a meeting to decide the fate of their team._

_"You should release a statement saying we all died," Artemis suggested. "That'll get Deathstroke and anyone else hunting Dick off our backs."_

_Superman looked at her, considering her proposal. Connor, M'Gann, Artemis, Wally, Zatanna and Kaldur were gathered in front of the table, waiting for the League's decision._

_"It would help with the press," Aquaman said. "If people think we lost our newest members they might forgive our radio silence."_

_"I agree," Wonder Woman said._

_"Then what?" Batman asked._

_Artemis looked at the others. Kaldur spoke up, "We would go to a new base, somewhere relatively well hidden, and continue our operations from there."_

_"You'd continue fighting?" Martian Manhunter asked, looking at his niece._

_"We can't stop because one man tried to kill us," she replied. _

_"Dick wouldn't stop," Wally added. _

_Batman looked away, as if mentioning his oldest adopted son was too painful to bear. Wonder Woman picked up on his distress._

_"We'll discuss it and let you know," she said, dismissing the team._

_"That went better than expected," Zatanna said as they walked down the hall._

_"Hopefully they agree with us," Connor said. He went with M'Gann, Zatanna, Artemis and Kaldur to go update their teammates while Wally went back to the med bay._

* * *

When they stepped out of the zeta tube their teammates fell silent.

Artemis, Wally and Kaldur walked through the crowd, Connor silently pushing Dick's bed. The bunker was a long area cut out of the surrounding rock, buried about twenty feet below the surface. Nearly undetectable and completely impenetrable, it was the safest place for the team to go. The zeta tube was near the entrance, a large common area and kitchen taking up the middle, a training room branching off the kitchen, with rooms off that. The med bay was in the back corner and fully stocked with every piece of medical equipment they'd need.

Wally heard the whispers as he passed, ignoring them. Everyone was worried about Dick but Artemis was right. This is where he belonged.

The five leaders entered the med bay, working together to get Dick comfortable. The portal oxygen tank was switched out for a larger version, the heart monitor showing no change as Connor injected him with his next round of antibiotics and Kaldur started him on a new IV.

"Remember, one of us with him at all times," Artemis said, pulling a chair over and sitting down beside the bed. She reached out and took Dick's hand, tired eyes searching his face for any change.

"We must explain the situation to the others," Kaldur said to the others. He wrapped an arm around Wally's shoulders and steered him out of the room.

Everyone was gathered in the common area, looking haggard and tired but showing their resilience.

"How is he?" Barbara asked.

"As good as can be expected," Kaldur replied. "Is everyone settled in their new rooms?"

There was general murmurs and nods. Connor and Zatanna had been the first to arrive at the new base, checking out the rooms and stocking the kitchen with plenty of food. They'd divided everyone up between the seven rooms, trying to pair their teammates up with similar roommates to avoid any drama. Barbara and Karen; Cassie and Raquel; M'Gann, Artemis and Zatanna; Jaime and Virgil; Bart, Tim and Gar; Mal and LA'gaan; Connor, Wally, Dick and Kaldur.

"Do we have a mission?" Mal asked.

"Not yet," Connor replied. "The League's giving us a chance to get settled and change our outfits. We can't look the same way we used to, or losing Mount Justice would be pointless."

"New outfits?" Gar asked.

"Like stealth mode. Make sure there's no possible ties to the League or its members," M'Gann explained.

"We're going beyond the League's reach," Wally added, looking around at everyone gathered in front of him. "We're hunting down Deathstroke."

There was a grim look of satisfaction on everyone's faces as they processed what that meant. The heroes weren about to uphold justice and seek revenge for one of their own.

"Supplies are in the training room," Kaldur said, having made sure earlier that they bought plenty of spray paint and other things necessary for them to change their appearances. The world wouldn't know what hit them.


	4. Chapter 4

**[A/N : On to the next chapter!]**

Wally surveyed his teammates, feeling a burst of pride as he saw them all working together to change their appearances in order to protect Dick. It had taken a while to figure out how exactly they would remake their outfits, realizing it was a much bigger undertaking than they had thought.

It was finally M'Gann who had solved the problem, transforming into a black singlet that covered her from wrist to ankle and had no adorning marks to acknowledge their hidden allegiance to the League. Kaldur was the one who created the mask, a tight fitting black skull design that faintly resembled Chesire's. Connor, Wally, Zatanna, Mal, Karen, Raquel, Barbara, Virgil, Cassie, Tim, Bart and Gar were easy to change. They simply tweaked their outfits then painted them completely black. Kaldur and Artemis had to go purchase long sleeve shirts to trade in their short sleeved ones, while Barbara and Tim had to remove their cloaks.

Jaime and La'gaan were a different story. The scarab made changing Jaime's appearance practically impossible, and La'gaan didn't have any control over his transformative powers. They both had to grudgingly agree not to be on the front line of missions unless they were absolutely needed.

"I painted Dick's for him," Artemis said, walking over to Wally carrying Dick's outfit. "I was gonna take it to him, you wanna go with me?"

"Sure," Wally said, looping his arm around her shoulders as they left the training room. They entered the med bay, Connor sitting next to Dick's bed watching him closely.

"How is he?" Wally asked.

"Fever keeps going up," Connor replied, looking at them. Dick's face shone with a thin sheen of sweat and ice packs were layered around his body in an attempt to help bring his temperature down.

"I finished his outfit," Artemis said as she hung it at the foot of his bed. "I wanted him to be able to see it when he wakes up."

"It looks good," Connor said.

"You want us to take over?" Wally asked.

Connor shook his head. "It's alright, Kaldur's gonna trade me in an hour."

"Okay," Artemis said, brushing the hair back from Dick's forehead. Suddenly an alarm began blaring.

"Go, I'll stay with him!" Connor said. Artemis and Wally ran from the room, pushing through their teammates until they stood with Kaldur, Zatanna and M'Gann in front of the computer monitor.

"What is it?" Artemis asked.

"Deathstroke," Kaldur replied, pointing at grainy image of a masked man in Seattle.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Wally demanded, fists clenched at his sides.

"Maybe he tracked us," Zatanna suggested.

M'Gann shook her head. "Impossible. The base is cloaked, and only a few League members know we're here. Plus every time we went out for supplies we were dressed as civilians."

"Then what's he doing so close?" Barbara asked.

Kaldur turned, looking around at everyone gathered before him. "Tim, Barbara, Karen, Wally, Zatanna, Artemis and M'Gann will follow Deathstroke and do surveillance, La'Gann and Jaime go to the Watchtower and inform the League of our situation, everyone else guard the perimeter. I will stay here and run interference."

"Connor's with Dick," Artemis said. "If you want you could take the laptop in there and the two of you can coordinate the teams."

"Good idea," Kaldur agreed. "Everyone make sure and take an ear piece so we can be linked at all times."

"Alright, let's go!" Wally yelled. Everyone dispersed, rushing to get their gear and change before the teams went their separate ways.

"What's going on?" Connor asked as Kaldur walked into med bay, the laptop tucked under his arm. The super teen had been restlessly pacing the floor ever since Artemis and Wally ran out.

"Deathstroke is in Seattle," Kaldur replied, opening the computer and showing video surveillance of Deathstroke and a few cronies milling around a dark alleyway. "I sent a team to follow him while the others keep watch here."

"Is M'Gann linking us?" Connor asked.

_"Of course," _she replied telepathically.

"_Just us six, the rest have com links_," Zatanna added.

"_What now_?" Connor asked.

"_We see what he's up to_," Artemis replied.

_"Spy team on the move," _M'Gann said as her team exited the zeta tube mere blocks from Deathstroke. Artemis pointed up and they quietly began climbinga nearby fire escape, running across rooftops. As they neared the alley they dropped down to their stomachs, inching forward until they could see over the edge.

_"He's pacing,"_ M'Gann said, watching as Deathstroke walked back and forth below them.

_"He looks angry about something," _Artemis added.

_"Remember, this is a surveillance mission. Do not be seen,"_ Kaldur said.

"Kaldur, are you seeing this?" Mal asked over his com link, voice coming through loud and clear on the computer speakers.

"What's going on?" Connor asked, turning the laptop so he could see the screen. Kaldur enlarged the footage from their video camera outside the base, clearly seeing Mal, Karen, Raquel, Virgil, Bart, Gar and Cassie gathered together near the main entrance, looking into the trees. In the distance the treetops swayed ominously, and the faint sound of branches breaking could be heard.

"Whatever it is, it's big and its coming this way," Raquel said.

"Gar, inside," Connor ordered. They watched as Gar reluctantly opened the door, which to the untrained eye appeared to be another section of the rock wall.

"Why can't I fight?" Gar grumbled as he walked into the med bay, flopping in the chair by the door.

"Because if something happens you have the most important job of them all - guarding Dick," Connor replied. Gar sat up, feeling a little more confident.

"Be on the lookout," Kaldur said to the team outside, all of whom were nervously watching the trees. Suddenly Bart zoomed into the woods.

"I hate when he does that," Connor said.

_"Deathstroke isn't moving, it's like he's waiting for something,"_ Artemis said.

"_We might have a situation back here," _Kaldur replied. "_Something is approaching._"

"_Want some of us to come back?"_ M'Gann asked.

"Artemis, Wally, M'Gann and Zatanna stay there and keep watching him. Karen, Tim and Barbara return to base. Quickly," Kaldur said.

"Guys, you aren't gonna like this," Bart said as he ran back towards his team.

"What is it?" Virgil asked.

"Robot. Huge. Ass. Robot," Bart replied breathlessly.

There was the sound of the zeta tube firing up, then Karen, Tim and Barbara came hurrying into the room.

"Everyone okay?" Barbara asked, looking at Dick.

"We are about to be under attack," Kaldur replied.

"I'll go out with them," Connor said, standing up.

"Be safe," Kaldur said before they ran outside.

"_I'll keep us six connected," _M'Gann said.

"Who would have a robot?" Gar asked.

"That is a good question," Kaldur said, monitoring the team outside.

_"Deathstroke's on the phone, I can't hear what he's saying," _Artemis said.

Zatanna whispered a quick spell and suddenly they could hear Deathstroke's conversation as if he was standing next to them.

"Your little toy should help distract them, keeping them too busy to notice their friend is dying from poison. It's only a matter of time," Deathstroke said grimly.

Artemis, Wally, Zatanna and M'Gann looked at each other in shock.

_"Did you hear that?" _Wally asked, hoping their com's had picked up Deathstroke's threat.

_"Yes,"_ Kaldur replied, already beginning to take a blood sample from Dick. Once the vial was full he turned to Gar.

"Take this to the Justice League, tell them Dick has been poisoned and we need the antidote. Then find Jaime and La'Gann and hurry back here," he said, handing Gar the vial. Gar nodded, clutching the vial tightly in his hand as he raced from the room.

"Poison?" Barbara demanded. Kaldur sighed, realizing the whole team had heard.

"The Justice League will find an antidote, do not worry. Stay focused on the mission."

"The robot's almost here, what do you want us to do with it?" Connor asked.

"Destroy it," Kaldur replied.

"Might be a little difficult," Barbara said as the robot entered the clearing, followed by a second.


End file.
